25 Day 300-Hour Empowering Chakras and Healing Heart Advanced Yoga Teacher Training in South India
Yoga Teacher Training in India
Put your busy life on hold for a month and realign with your heart in mystical South India. Surrounded by tropical gardens, birdsong, and the spirit of ancient India, with temples of incredible beauty and history, the yoga villa near Auroville and Pondicherry offers the ideal space to breathe life and happiness. Join for a life-affirming, love-brimming, heart-opening experience that builds your depth as a yoga teacher and practitioner as you traverse the journey of the 300-hour training course with the Himalayan Yoga Institute.
Meet the instructors
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Highlights
- Eligibility to register with Yoga Alliance upon completion
- All classes and training
- Personalized instruction in meditation
- Learn the secrets of Tantric Rajadhiraja yoga
- A teacher's manual
- Led by an experienced and professional teacher
- 24 nights accommodation
- Meals, tea, snacks, and water
Skill level
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Styles
Chennai International Airport (US$ 20 per person)
Accommodation
Facilities
- Dining area
- Environmentally friendly
- Garden
- Kitchen
- Lounge
- Terrace
- Yoga studio
“Sharanya” translates as “giver of refuge." It is a beautiful villa near the model community Auroville in South India. It is located about two miles away from Auroville Beach. A long private driveway leads you to the 4500 sq ft villa set in grounds of 1.5 acres, making it into an oasis of peace and quiet.
The villa is built in the traditional Kerala style using rammed earth. This eco-friendly method of construction results in a structure that is naturally cool throughout the year.
The large central courtyard acts as a focal point of the villa, allowing in natural light and ventilation. The villa is decorated with unique details and antique furniture, yet has all the comforts of home.
The house is sufficiently far away from the main road to keep out the noise and ensure almost total silence.
Why you will love Sharanya
It is a yoga villa nestled in an oasis of native plants, herbs, and fruit trees. Accommodations are in beautiful, airy, and large rooms, decorated with antique furniture and suggesting the flair of ancient India.
The delicious meals with locally-grown foods are lovingly prepared by South Indian chefs and served on the terrace with a garden view. It’s a perfect place to reconnect with nature and its incredible beauty.
This venue is also located in the vibrant green belt of Auroville, studded with traditional local Tamil villages. The Auroville beach is a five-minute drive away.
Accommodation types
- Shared accommodation (up to five people of the same gender sharing a room)
- Triple accommodation (three people sharing one room)
- Double accommodation (two people sharing one room)
Program
Certification
Students who complete the training are eligible to register with Yoga Alliance as Registered Yoga Teachers (RYT®).
Empowering Chakras and Healing the Heart India yoga teacher training.
Find authenticity and joy, reconnect to the wisdom of your heart, and discover the spirit of ancient South India. Expect a revealing journey into your inner being. Escape the winter back home and experience South India at its best, when temperatures are extremely pleasant and the weather, is mild and soothing. It’s the perfect time to relax in your heart and find profound healing and integration of your whole being.
This signature 300-hour training course approaches advanced yoga from a therapeutic and spiritual perspective, delving deep into the energetic, hormonal, emotional, and spiritual benefits of the asanas. The daily practice of asanas, pranayama, chanting, kirtan dance, and mantra meditation allows for deep yet gentle healing at the subtle energetic, and psychic level, allowing for your true self to emerge and shine. Just one week into the program, your face will have a beautiful glow and your whole being will manifest radiance and vibrancy. The signature chakra classes will unlock long-forgotten joy, enthusiasm, and aspiration for an inspired and meaningful life. Relish the slow pace and full immersion into the powerful practice of therapeutic and chakra cleansing practice while receiving cutting-edge insight into discoveries of neuroscience, biology, breathing, and breath retention as they relate to ancient, traditional, and authentic yoga techniques.
Release your fears and realign the body with spirit
This course brings to life the age-old wisdom and authentic science of the yoga of India, in the very place where yoga was born and where the subtle vibrations of the mystical and deeply spiritual reverberations of this sacred land and nature are still alive and palpable.
A unique feature of Himalayan Yoga Institute's training is their approach to asana practice: the asanas are practiced and taught in the Rajadhiraja tradition of Tantra yoga, offering ancient knowledge on the deeply transformational effect of asanas with regards to one's hormonal and chakra system, which is rarely taught in other yoga schools.
You will learn and practice 108 of the most important asanas as they relate to healing, chakra balancing, body/mind integration, and heart opening.
As you sharpen your teaching skills through in-depth alignment and adjustment workshops, you will develop a new perspective on yoga and life itself. You will also be encouraged to develop your creative skills in yoga teaching and sequencing for theme-based classes.
Furthermore, you will explore a variety of yoga styles such as Yin, Anusara, Iyengar, Power yoga, Hot yoga, Sivananda, and Vinyasa to compare the sequencing effects of each style.
Another unique feature of this training is lifelong personalized mentoring offered by Ganga Devi, the principal teacher of this course, to those who wish to receive guidance after the completion of their training.
Ganga has taught and practiced yoga and meditation for more than thirty years. She has also trained and performed as a professional dancer of Bharatanatyam, the classical dance of India.
She passionately uses her special gift of bringing people together in ceremony to connect, sing, dance, heal, and release. With her intricate knowledge about the use of breath, she skillfully uses a unique system of breathing and breath retention when adapting yoga as a therapy for the body, mind, and soul.
Ganga is also a talented musician and nada yogini (the sound healer), sharing bhajans, kirtan, and Indian raga music to complement the deeply transformational work she undertakes on each of the 300-hour programs.
Curriculum
Asanas (yoga postures)
The science of sun salutation
There will be an in-depth analysis of this important sequence, including the history, breakdown, benefits, and symbolism of the same.
- Asanas - the practice of 108 asanas
- Asana families
- Refining asanas
- Transitioning out of asanas
- The constituent elements of asanas
- Yoga Nidra - visualizations for Yoga Nidra and how to conduct a yoga Nidra class
- Asanas for each chakra and gland
Pranayama and breathing exercises
- Advanced understanding of the process of breathing
- Expanding the repertoire of breathing exercises
- Advanced pranayama techniques: ujjayi, surya bheda, sitali, sitkari, bhramari
- Anuloma / viloma will be practiced daily
- The 10 vayus (pranas) and pranayama
Kriyas, bandhas, mudras, and other practice
- The power of mudras - whole body and healing hand mudras
- Lymphatic self-massage in asana classes
- The aura (ojas) and how to develop it
- Balancing energy
- Chakra healing
- How to determine your unique psycho-spiritual nature
- Neti, nauli, kapalabhati, and tongue cleaning: classical yogic purification techniques for the nose, lungs, abdomen, and tongue
- Practicing bandhas: jalandhara, uddayana and mula bandha
Yoga anatomy, physiology, and bio-psychology
- Exploration of the major body systems in relationship to asana practice, in particular the nervous system, the lymphatic system, and the endocrine system, including the effect of endocrine glands on one's psyche
- The nervous system (with emphasis on understanding the autonomous nervous system - consisting of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system). You will look at the interrelatedness of the spine with the inner organs via the sympathetic and parasympathetic.
- Nerve fibers and how asanas improve the functioning of the inner organs directly and indirectly (via the spine)
- The lymphatic system and lymphatic drainage techniques
- Applied anatomy related to the physical aspects of yoga (muscles and how they are used in 24 selected asanas)
- Human anatomy and yoga physiology are important aspects of yoga study, but another relatively unexplored aspect of yoga is bio-psychology. It is the study of glands and hormones and their profound effects on all physical and mental (psychic) functions like growth, digestion, energy levels, emotions, etc.
- Chakra balancing workshops (using asana in chakra work) - you will look at each chakra and their related propensities and explore techniques to regain physical and emotional/mental balance
Diet and nutrition
- You will look at the yogic and ayurvedic principles of eating, while also integrating the Western scientific approach to nutrition
- Personalizing your dietary regime
- The use of herbs
Ayurveda
- Ayurvedic life regimes for each humor (dosha)
- How does disease happen?
- The six tastes and the digestive process
- The methods of reintegration (reduction therapy, detoxification therapy and tonification)
Introduction to yoga therapy
- How to prescribe asanas for the 20 most common conditions in the light of bio-psychology
- You will look at some major conditions and the therapies prescribed for these conditions based on yogic science. You will not only determine the morning and evening asana practice for each condition but also the necessary lifestyle changes (sleep, work, relationships, exercise, diet) and other yogic techniques - fasting, kriyas, mudras, bandhas, meditation - and how they should be adopted to various conditions.
Special needs training
- How to approach the practice with clients who have certain conditions (how to maintain healthy joints and joint mobility, yoga for headaches, backache, diabetes, depression, etc.)
The history of yoga
- The six schools of Indian philosophy
- Hatha yoga in the light of Tantra
- Rasayana and the ancient alchemists
- Kashmiri Shaivism and Shaiva Siddhanta
- The influence of Shiva on Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism
- The influence of Krsna
- Shrii Shrii Anandamurti and contemporary yoga
- The interplay of the Vedas and Tantra
- Tantra and the Indo-Aryan civilization
Sanskrit
- Correct pronunciation of mantras
- Sanskrit alphabet
Teaching practice and personal development
- Public speaking
- Developing your voice and communication
- Traditional approaches to asana sequencing
- The five principles of asana sequencing
- Creating theme-based classes
- Setting an intention
- Sequencing classes for each chakra
- Sequencing restorative classes
- Develop your observation skills
- Detailed alignment workshop
- Detailed adjustment and correction workshop
Meditation
- How to integrate a variety of simple meditation techniques into your class
- Guided meditation and personal meditation techniques
- Mantra initiation (if desired)
Rajadhiraja yoga
- Ashtanga - the eight limbs of yoga as taught by Patanjali
- Ethics and moral principles - workshop and discussion
- Koshas - the five layers of the mind - a deeper understanding
- Kaoshikii and Tandava: dynamic yogic dances for women and men
Kundalini yoga
- Deeper understanding of Kundalini and Nada yoga
- Deeper understanding of the chakras
Bhakti yoga
- Kirtan: devotional chanting of Sanskrit mantras
- Understanding chanting and its benefits on the emotions
- Creativity and artistic expression for spiritual development and upliftment
- Bhajans (devotional songs), Prabhat Samgiita (devotional music for mental expansion)
- Various types of Bhakti and Kevala Bhakti
Philosophy
- The four stages of sadhana
- The three stages of psychic evolution
- The seven secrets of success as given by Shiva (and how to apply them in daily life)
- The symbolism of Shiva
- Vidya and avidya maya - from ignorance to knowledge
- The four states of consciousness
- Creation of the universe and the Tantric theory of creation (Shiva Shakti)
- Hearing, reflecting, and contemplating the teachings
- How to incorporate philosophy in a class setting
- Tantra shastra and Tantra sadhana
- The seven stages of samadhi
Business skills and self-development
- How to speak about what you are doing
- Presentation skills
- Anatomy of a successful workshop
- How to organize and plan for a yoga retreat
- Find your dharma and contribute to the world
- Beyond business into living your yoga and changing the world
Highlights of the Empowering Chakras and Healing the Heart 300-hour yoga teacher training
- They maintain small class sizes for maximum personalized attention.
- Learn from a master teacher with 30+ years of experience in yoga, Tantra, kirtan, pranayama, chakra healing, and awakening.
- Cleanse your body, inspire your mind, and uplift your spirit with traditional South Indian meals based on Ayurvedic principles, and optional supported fasting.
- Stay in one of the large rooms of the stunning Kerala-style villa, with an open yard and fish pond in the central part of the house, and enjoy the warm and welcoming service of their daily attendants.
- Eat delicious vegetarian or vegan meals and drink organic fresh teas prepared by local chefs.
- Practice, play, and dine in beautiful open-air shala spaces, surrounded by palm trees and green views of exotic leafy and flowering trees.
- Connect with your inner self while spending time in the lush tropical garden filled with birdsong, resting in the hammock close to the creek and outdoor pond.
- Practice yoga in beautiful natural indoor and outdoor spaces. Their indoor space receives light and fresh air from the central opening in the roof.
- Shop for authentic Indian clothing and textiles, beautiful handmade handicrafts, and herbal products produced by the local craftsmen/women of Auroville
- Receive personalized instruction in meditation and receive a daily routine of asana prescriptions individually tailored just for you, which will allow you to advance your practice.
- Learn the secrets of Tantric Rajadhiraja yoga, a long-forgotten, yet highly powerful approach to yoga, which will completely rewire your body, clear your mind, and awaken your soul.
- Receive Himalayan Yoga Institute's unique seven signature chakra healing class templates sequenced specifically for deep transformation and cleansing of the chakras.
- Learn rare practices such as mudras for each chakra, chakra visualization, and meditation techniques that can be incorporated into yoga classes.
- Their yoga instructor certification courses are of outstanding quality, marked by excellence and attention to detail. They are the most thorough and comprehensive ones you will find.
- The training is not only suitable for aspiring yoga teachers but also for those who simply want to learn more about yoga and develop a stronger self-practice.
Why you will love this training
The 300-hour training as designed by the Himalayan Yoga Institute is a residential teacher training that will allow you to fully immerse yourself in the lifestyle and practices of deeply inspiring and transformational yoga.
You will be encouraged to find your authentic voice and creativity in asana teaching and to reconnect with your most precious talents and gifts to share with your students through creative intention setting and exploration of themes in yoga classes.
Most importantly, you will be provided with tools you can take with you back home for further self-exploration and healing on the energetic and emotional levels. You will also be equipped to provide this to your students in return.
Another, this course may alter your understanding of yoga and enable you to teach with more depth, inspiration, intuition, and creativity.
The teachings are rooted in the philosophy of yoga, Tantra, as well as Bhakti yoga and yoga therapy, meeting you wherever you may be in life, expanding your horizon in terms of how you can apply the practices for personal growth, healing, and your evolution as a person and teacher.
For nearly four weeks, you will be living, breathing, and embracing all facets of the yogic lifestyle, which will not only make you into a more well-rounded practitioner but will also help you align with your higher self and develop a vision for your life.
This 300-hour YTT will expand your consciousness and open new doors so you may discover the hidden treasures of your heart and soul. You will experience a profound rewiring of your body, clearing of your mind, and purification of your emotions.
Himalayan Yoga Institute's training courses meet and exceed the Yoga Alliance standards’ guidelines and you will receive a thorough understanding of asanas, mudras, mantras, and visualization for chakras, pranayama techniques, transitioning in and out of asanas, traditional and contemporary sequencing, special needs yoga, yoga therapy, theory, yoga history, chakra healing, and the six schools of Indian philosophy.
Asanas will be explored through their signature Rajadhiraja yoga method and their application in contemporary styles of yoga. You will also have an opportunity to experience authentic Bhakti yoga and kirtan ceremony.
You will receive seven unique signature templates for classes specifically designed for chakra balancing and healing, and 10 signature templates for regular yoga classes, pre-designed and ready to go, while also learning how to create engaging, uplifting, and inspirational theme-based classes.
Eventually, you will have great clarity about your greatest gifts and talents, which seek to find expression. They empower their students to become leaders in their communities so they may share not just yoga with others, but also their wisdom and insight.
You will come away with a powerful personal practice that will balance your mind, awaken your chakras, heal your heart, and help you joyfully walk your life’s path.
Books
A reading list will be sent to you upon registration.
Daily Schedule
- 05:30 Pranayama, bandhas, mudras, kriyas
- 06:15 Bhajans, chanting, meditation
- 07:00 Asanas
- 09:00 Breakfast
- 09:30 Workshop / lecture / anatomy and physiology
- 10:30 Karma yoga
- 11:00 Lecture / workshop
- 12:00 Lunch
- 12:45 Main lecture (philosophy / theory / history)
- 14:15 snack and leisure / self-study
- 16:30 Asanas and asana techniques
- 18:30 Satsang (meditation, kirtan, chanting)
- 19:30 Dinner
- 20:00 Sanskrit / workshop
- 22:00 Lights out
Included excursions
Visit to Mahabalipuram
You will have a chance to see Mamallapuram (or Mahabalipuram) on the way from Chennai to the venue. Mamallapuram is a UNESCO-protected heritage site, displaying gorgeous stone carvings and temple structures of great beauty.
Mahabalipuram is an ancient historic town and was a bustling seaport during the time of Periplus (first century CE) and Ptolemy (140 CE).
Ancient Indian traders who went to countries of South East Asia sailed from the seaport of Mahabalipuram. By the seventh century, it was a port city of the South Indian dynasty of the Pallavas.
It has a group of sanctuaries, which was carved out of rock along the Coromandel coast in the seventh and eighth centuries: Rathas (temples in the form of chariots), Mandapas (cave sanctuaries); giant open-air reliefs such as the famous 'Descent of the Ganges;' and the Shore temple, with thousands of sculptures dedicated to Shiva.
While traveling to the venue on the arrival day, the minibus that picks up students at the airport and from Chennai will stop in Mahabalipuram for about two hours for sightseeing, exploration, and lunch.
Auroville
You will visit Auroville (City of Dawn), which is an experimental township in Villupuram district, mostly in the state of Tamil Nadu and with some parts in the Union Territory of Pondicherry (Puducherry) in South India.
The city is dedicated to the vision of Sri Aurobindo. It was founded in 1968 by Mirra Alfassa (known as "the Mother") and designed by architect Roger Anger.
As stated in Alfassa's first public message in 1965, "Auroville wants to be a universal town where men and women of all countries can live in peace and progressive harmony, above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities. The purpose of Auroville is to realize human unity."
Pondicherry
Pondicherry will be another destination. Pondicherry, called Puducherry in the local language, is a unique town, which used to be a French colony.
Hence, it combines French and Indian architecture. It is a unique city like no other in India, where India meets France with all the uniqueness of each style in architecture and culture. Many streets retain French names, and French-style villas are a common sight.
In the French Quarter, the buildings are typically colonial style with long compounds and stately walls. Meanwhile, the Indian quarter consists of houses lined with verandas and large doors and grilles.
These French and Indian-style houses are preserved as they are considered heritage buildings. The French language can still be heard in Puducherry. Participants will visit temples, the promenade, and the Aurobindo ashram in Puducherry.
Tiruvannamalai
The second excursion will be to the small town of Tiruvannamalail, which has a longstanding spiritual history and inhabits the famous Arunachala hill, considered to be the heart center of the Earth. In this place, the legendary sage Sri Ramana lived and guided many spiritual seekers.
One of the largest temples dedicated to Shiva was built there, the Annamalaiyar temple.
Shiva is worshiped as Annamalaiyar or Arunachaleswarar and is represented by the lingam, with his idol referred to as Agni lingam. His consort Parvati is depicted as Unnamulai Amman.
The presiding deity is revered in the seventh-century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as the nayanars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. %The ninth-century Saiva saint poet Manikkavasagar composed the Tiruvempaavai there. The temple complex covers 10 hectares and is one of the largest in India.
It houses four gateway towers known as gopurams. The tallest is the eastern tower, with 11 stories and a height of 66 meters (217 ft), making it one of the tallest temple towers in India.
The temple has numerous shrines, with those of Annamalaiyar and Unnamulai Amman being the most prominent.
The temple complex also houses many halls. The most notable is the thousand-pillared hall built during the Vijayanagar period.
Ramanashram
This ashram is dedicated to the contemporary sage Sri Ramana. As a boy of sixteen in 1896, he challenged death by a penetrating inquiry into the source of his being.
Later hailed as Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, he revealed the direct path of practice of self-inquiry and awakened mankind to the immense spiritual power of the holy Arunachala Hill, the spiritual heart of the world.
An ashram did not spring up immediately. At first, there was only a shed with bamboo poles and a roof of palm leaves.
Through the ensuing years the numbers grew, donations came in, and regular ashram premises were built: the hall where Ramana sat, the office, the bookstore, the dispensary, the guest room for male visitors, and a couple of small bungalows for guests who made a longer stay.
A group of sadhus made a colony at Palakottu in a grove to the west of the ashram. Over the years, the ashram has seen a growing number of visitors. A special highlight is the room where Sri Ramana used to spend most of the time. Today, it is open for those who want to meditate or simply sit there in silence.
Instructors
Ganga Devi
Ganga Devi is a yoga instructor and spiritual teacher who has crafted exceptional yoga retreats and teacher trainings, where your daily practice will go well beyond the regular asana and pranayama exercises. With her nearly three decades of experience teaching yoga retreats, conferences, and yoga teacher training courses, she is an expert in helping students experience a profoundly transformational inner journey, by accessing progressively deeper states of consciousness and the bliss which is inherent in the body.
Location
This yoga teacher training will be held in a beautiful villa near the model community Auroville in South India. A long private driveway leads you to the villa set in grounds of 1.5 acres.
Distances
- Auroville Beach, 3.22 kilometers
- Mamallapuram (UNESCO World Heritage), 90 kilometers
Food
Delicious meals with locally-grown foods will be lovingly prepared by South Indian chefs and served on the terrace with a garden view. It’s a perfect place to reconnect with nature and its incredible beauty.
Eat delicious vegetarian or vegan meals and organic fresh teas prepared by local chefs. Cleanse your body, inspire your mind, and uplift your spirit with traditional South Indian meals based on Ayurvedic principles and optionally supported fasting.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Snacks
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
- Tea
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Ayurvedic
Things to do (optional)
During your free time, you can arrange excursions to the interesting places nearby the yoga villa:
- Auroville Beach
- Elephant procession
- Fisherman boat
- Mahabalipuram sculptures
- Pondicherry French quarters
- Pondicherry promenade
- Shore temple Mahabalipuram
- South Indian dance performance
- Ayurvedic massage
- Sunset at the beach
- Tamil Nadu beaches
- Villianur temple Pondicherry
What's included
- Eligibility to register with Yoga Alliance upon completion
- All classes and training
- A teacher's manual
- Meals, tea, snacks, and water
- 24 nights accommodation
- Goods and Services Tax
What's not included
- Airfare
- Airport transfers
- Excursions
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Chennai International Airport
117 km
Transfer available for additional US$ 20 per person
Arrival by airplane
Please book your flight to arrive at Chennai International Airport (MAA). Transfer from and to this airport is available upon request. If you arrive by 12:00, you can be part of Himalayan Yoga Institute's pick-up, which they will organize from Chennai to Pondicherry. In case you are arriving later on that day, you would have to make your way to the yoga house on your own, however, Himalayan Yoga Institute can help with contact details of a taxi company they use.
You can also fly to Delhi - Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) and then take a domestic flight from Delhi to Chennai International Airport (MAA). You will have to get to the domestic airport from the international airport, which is easy as both airports are next to each other.
If you would like to be part of the pick-up from Chennai International Airport (MAA) organized by the Himalayan Yoga Institute, the airport transfer fee will be no more than 15 GBP.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 35% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through BookYogaTeacherTraining.com. All major credit cards supported.